U.S. General Services Administration
GSA Administrator, National Climate Advisor, Elected Officials Promote Climate and Job Investments in Colorado
GSA announces Denver Federal Center will be home to new electric vehicle charging infrastructure pilot project
LAKEWOOD, Colo. ㅡ Today, Administrator Robin Carnahan of the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) joined National Climate Advisor Gina McCarthy, Governor Jared Polis, Congressman Ed Perlmutter, and Mayor Adam Paul for a tour of the Denver Federal Center (DFC) and press conference discussing the Biden-Harris Administration’s efforts to tackle the climate crisis while creating good paying jobs and catalyzing American innovation.
“The Denver Federal Center demonstrates how investing in sustainability is a triple win - creating good-paying clean energy jobs, reducing energy costs, and tackling climate change to ensure a healthier future for the next generation,” said GSA Administrator Robin Carnahan. “The federal government wants to lead by example by leveraging our scale and buying power to help drive these efforts.”
Administrator Carnahan also announced that GSA will be launching demonstration projects, called Applied Innovation Learning Laboratories, at the DFC and other locations around the country. At these sites, GSA will work with federal partners, industry and local utilities to test new kinds of clean energy technologies, such as zero-emission vehicle charging infrastructure. GSA facilities will provide the space for practical, hands-on testing and demonstrations of new types of charging station technologies, creating a catalyst for American innovation that could be installed and operated across the country.
The event showcased the Biden-Harris administration’s leadership in decarbonizing the federal footprint and making federal buildings more energy efficient while saving taxpayer dollars, creating clean energy jobs, and strengthening American leadership and competitiveness. The administration has set the ambitious goal of sourcing 100 percent carbon pollution-free electricity (CFE) on a net annual basis by 2030, including 50 percent 24/7 carbon pollution-free electricity.
The DFC features on-site clean energy sources, innovative sustainability and efficiency features, and Green Proving Ground technologies that show how the federal government can lead on climate and catalyze next-generation industries. Approximately 22 percent of the DFC campus is powered by solar, and since 2008, more than $45 million in energy costs have been saved as a result of reducing energy use, water use, and utility costs by roughly 40 percent across the board.
During the tour, Administrator Carnahan highlighted a major $49-million renovation of Building 48 with sustainable and climate friendly features such as net zero power, a solar roof, and a healthy and modern workplace environment. The project will also save $17 million in lease costs by consolidating approximately 800 federal employees from leased space. This renovation doubles as a pilot project for tracking reduction of embodied carbon emissions in design and construction. GSA plans to document lessons learned, and use them to develop baselines for other projects aimed at carbon emission reduction.
“Through the President’s Federal Sustainability Plan, we’re using all the facilities we operate and purchases we make to lead the way on climate solutions,” said National Climate Advisor Gina McCarthy. “We’re forging a path that states, local governments, and companies can follow to seize the opportunities of clean energy, and we’re saving the American people money every step of the way.”
“Climate change is costing people money, and challenging Colorado’s farmers, ranchers and outdoor industries so confronting this crisis has been a top priority since day-one,” said Colorado Governor Jared Polis. “I’m proud of the nation-leading efforts Colorado has made to cut costs, improve energy efficiency and public health to free up money that could go toward paying teachers or helping our school."
“As the largest concentration of federal workers outside of Washington D.C., the Denver Federal Center represents a significant opportunity to modernize and decarbonize our federal buildings and will help save taxpayer dollars, create clean energy jobs and ensure a healthier environment for the thousands of people who work here,” said Congressman Ed Perlmutter. “I appreciate these important investments from the Biden Administration in our community and our local workforce, and thank Administrator Carnahan and Climate Advisor McCarthy for their leadership and work to strengthen American innovation and competitiveness.”
“The Federal Center has played a historic role in Lakewood, providing critical jobs that support our community,” said Mayor Adam Paul. “Lakewood has led the way in sustainability through partnerships with the Federal Center, and we are excited about the innovations that demonstrate the kind of green-energy leadership the Federal Center can deliver through addressing climate change.”
More information on how GSA supports the Administration%u2019s sustainability goals is available.
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About GSA: GSA provides centralized procurement for the federal government, managing a nationwide real estate portfolio of nearly 370 million rentable square feet and overseeing approximately $75 billion in annual contracts. GSA’s mission is to deliver the best value in real estate, acquisition, technology, and other mission-support services across government, in support of the Biden-Harris Administration’s priorities. For more information, visit GSA.gov and follow us at @USGSA.